[quote=bearishgurl]I know of several SD employers who FULLY PAY the premiums of their employee but CHARGE TO THE EMPLOYEE the FULL group premium for any dependents they wish to cover.[/quote]

This is exactly my situation. I am a dependent on my wife’s employer’s plan. 100% of my premiums come out of my wife’s paycheck. This is still much cheaper than shopping for my own personal coverage as a self-employed contractor. Why? Because I join in as part of the larger POOL which brings down per-person costs as more people join it. Or at least it should bring down costs. This is how insurance is supposed to work.

It’s kinda like how it’s cheaper per-beer to buy a 24-pack than it is to buy a 6-pack. Overall you pay more but it averages out cheaper for the individual.